Arwen and the Midsummer Night
by MorfindelthePhysicist
Summary: The story of a midsummer celebration in the Valley, through the eyes of a child.


Midsummer in Imladris was always a wonderful festival, but this year the celebrations were even more exciting. Gandalf had come, with his whizzers and poppers and crackers, and Arwen, like the other children, loved the colourful explosions of glitter right above the trees. The big fireworks, the ones that her parents and the other grownups liked better, were just a bit too much for the little girl. She was glad that they were not until later in the evening and she still had time to enjoy the sparklers.

"Mother! Will you dance with me?" That was Elrohir, bowing and kissing Mama's hand. Celebrian laughed and let Arwen's brother pull her out into the circle, golden hair flying out behind her and shining in the firelight. The child sighed and wondered if she would ever be half as pretty as Mama. Grandmother said that when Arwen's father first saw Celebrian he had immediately wanted to marry her because she was so beautiful.

She watched her other brother, Elladan, approaching a lady whom she did not know, probably to ask her to dance. Unfortunately for him, Lord Glorfindel was a few steps ahead of him and the lady did not even see Elladan. He looked disappointed as she and Glorfindel spun out into the other dancers.

Arwen caught a glimpse of Mama and Elrohir as they flashed past her. Where was Papa? She looked around at the party but could not find him, at least from where she stood. Perhaps he was watching the fireworks over beyond the trees. Leaving the music and dancing, she picked up the skirts of her party dress and headed in the direction of the sparklers, whose flicker she could see through the bushes. Without Mama or Glorfindel or the Twins, Papa was probably lonely; she had better go and keep him company.

The other children were all here, clustered around the wizard, who would say, "Stand back!" very suddenly and set off some cracker. The boys and girls screamed in delight every time, especially if something they could chase came fluttering out of the little flame in Gandalf's hand. She stopped mesmerized as a flock of tiny birds appeared in the air above her and one flew down to hover in front of her face. She stared at the glittering creature for a long moment and it looked back at her, unblinking. Then it zipped up a few feet over her head and disintegrated into tiny flecks of glitter, which drifted down and settled in her dark hair. Arwen giggled and then sneezed when she accidentally breathed some in through her nose.

She looked up, and there was Papa! Her father was sitting on the ground behind the children, watching their antics with a smile. Arwen made her way over to him and he looked up at her in surprise. "Well hello, my Evenstar! You are shining brightly tonight... Is that glitter from the birds in your hair?"

Smiling at him, she reached out and patted his head. "You have some too, silly," she told him, and sat down beside him.

He laughed at that. "Do I really? It probably looks nicer on you. Where is your mother?"

"Dancing with Elrohir. I came so you would not be alone." She took his hand, which lay unoccupied in his lap, and interlaced her little fingers with his.

"Why, you have my thanks, little one. That was very kind of you to think of your Papa instead of playing with the others. Are you sure you want to just sit here with me? "

She nodded firmly. "I am sure. I have to take care of you because Mama is busy and because I love you."

Elrond bent over and pressed a soft kiss into the hollow of her cheek. "I love you too, very much, Arwen." His eyes were smiling at her in the way that they only did for her and she was very happy suddenly. When she was with Papa and he looked at her like that, then nothing could possibly go wrong.

They watched the fireworks for a long time. Arwen hardly noticed the sun finish setting and darkness slowly deepen; the party went on just the same and even got bigger as time passed. As Gandalf finished the last of the sparklers he came over and handed one to her, a merry twinkle in his eye. "Here you are, little princess."

She looked up at him, delighted, and grasped the tiny colourful torch with the hand that was not holding her father's. "Many thanks, Mithrandir!" She did not see her father wink at the old wizard.

When the sparkler fizzled out Gandalf took the remaining stump and left them, bowing to Arwen. Just then Mama appeared behind them, putting her arms around both Arwen and her father. "Here you are, my dears. Come back to the dancing with me!" Celebrian kissed Papa on the mouth and Arwen on the cheek.

"Certainly, love," said Elrond, rising and lifting Arwen to her feet. He took one of her hands and Mama took the other; together they wandered slowly back towards the fires.

When they reached the dancers, Papa said, "Sweet heart, do you mind if I dance with your mother?"

She shook her head. "Go ahead. I will not be lonely." They both kissed her again and then Elrond wrapped his arms around Mama's waist as they stepped away with the rhythm of the music.

Glorfindel was dancing with another lady now, but Elladan was still sitting by himself looking sad. Arwen walked over to her brother and patted his hand comfortingly. "Won't anyone dance with you?"

He twirled one of her curls with his finger. "Well, not exactly... There is someone I want to dance with, but she does not want to dance with me. I am not good enough for her." Poor Elladan looked as though he might start crying.

"I will dance with you, if you ask nicely." She looked up at him with her brightest smile.

"Oh will you?" He smiled back at her and knelt on both knees, taking her hands in his. She had known he would cheer up if she said she would dance with him. "I will even ask you with a poem. Lovely lady dressed in blue, will you let me dance with you?"

Arwen felt very special: he had even made up a poem for her! "Yes, I will let you dance with me," she said, and he stood up, still holding her hands. Leading her into the group, Elladan began to gently swing their joined hands back and forth.

"Please teach me how to dance." Arwen suddenly realized that she did not really know the proper way to do it, although she did have some idea. Besides, Elladan was really too tall to be dancing with her as Mama and Papa were dancing. She thought Mama was tall, and she almost came up to Mama's hip, but Mama's head only reached Elladan's chin.

He laughed merrily. "Of course. Do not fear, it is very easy. Here. Step to the left, yes. Good. Now, take your other foot and just tap it beside the first one, like this. See? Yes, just like that! Now take that same foot that you just tapped with and step to the right. And then take the other one and tap like you just did. Yes! You are very good at this. Then just do it again with this foot, and tap again, and... "

Elladan said she was doing well but it was hard to do at first. Arwen concentrated. She had to be good enough to be his partner. She wanted to show whoever it was that would not dance with her brother what she was missing. Elladan kept encouraging her and helping when she messed up and she eventually got it. Arwen looked up at him with a big smile. "This is fun!"

He laughed again. "Good. I am having fun too. No one else gets to dance with the daughter of Lord Elrond!"

"Except you!" She held his hands tightly as they danced slowly through the grownups around them.

"I like the sparkles in your hair, my lady."

"Thank you! Papa got some in his hair too when Mithrandir's birds shattered." She giggled. "He looks funny."

Elladan grinned at the thought of his father with sparkles in his hair. "I can imagine!"

The music changed, became faster. "Are you ready?" he asked her, and she nodded, hoping that she could keep up. She stumbled a little in the beginning, but she soon got the hang of it. Faster was better! A little laugh escaped her as Elladan picked her up and spun her around.

They kept dancing for what seemed to Arwen like forever. She didn't mind: in fact, she was thoroughly enjoying herself. Eventually, though, she began to feel sleepy. "Are you tired?" She nodded. "Do you want to stop?" She shook her head. Elladan smiled and lifted her into his arms, keeping the rhythm of the music. She was really getting too old to be held like this, but it was very pleasant to sway back and forth like this, her head resting on her brother's shoulder. She put her arms around his neck. After a while her eyes were getting heavy; she didn't remember falling asleep but she must have because she woke briefly hearing Elrohir say softly that she was sleeping. He was standing close to Elladan and smiling at her. Arwen lifted her head and reached for her other brother's face: she placed her hands on his cheeks and, pulling him closer, kissed him on the mouth because it was easier than turning his face to reach his cheek. Then she released him and laid her head back on Elladan's shoulder. She felt Elrohir's fingers run through her hair and then she did not remember anything else for a long while.

When she opened her eyes again Elladan was still holding her, but they were no longer dancing. Instead, they were near the tables of sweets and cakes. Arwen suddenly felt wide awake again. "May I have some?"

"Are you awake then, my love?" Elladan stroked her cheek with one finger. "Of course. Which one do you want?"

Those cakes with the leaf decorations were a special treat... Mama rarely made them but they were so good and rich! "That one, please." He set her down and gave her two. "Thank you!" Arwen bit into the first one with delight.

After two more she was not sleepy in the least and she told her brother so. Elladan said it was the sugar. "I don't think you should have any more."

"Oh but we never get to have any! Please?" She gave him a pleading look. That usually worked on everyone but Mama, who was too smart to fall for it.

And it did work. "Oh, alright, but this is the last one. You will get a stomach ache and it will be my fault." He gave her one more and she returned the favour with a smile.

The cake really was rich, and she was feeling full, but she thought she could go for another one. Elladan turned away to say hello to someone and she reached the plate just barely. She stuffed the cake in her mouth before he could catch her. If he had only turned around... There were two more left, and it seemed a pity to leave them there.

Why had she not listened to him? When he finally turned around and came looking for her, she was behind a tree in terrible pain. She had to tell someone so they could help her make it stop, but who? Papa would be disappointed in her, and she hated to bother Mama. Besides she didn't know where either of them was.

"Arwen! Arwen!"

"I am here!" she sniffed, tears running down her face. Elladan turned and saw her curled up at the roots of the tall oak.

"Oh Arwen! What is wrong?!" he exclaimed, sounding very worried. Sitting down next to her, Elladan held her tightly and rocked her back and forth.

She sniffed hard again. "I... I ate too many cakes and my tummy hurts really badly now..."

"How many did you have?"

She hoped he was not mad at her. "Three more after the ones you gave me."

He pulled her onto his lap. "Eight of those cakes? You little piggy!" He was trying not to laugh, she could feel from the way he was moving. At least he wasn't cross. Elladan adjusted her so her head was on his chest and began to rub her stomach gently with soft circular motions. It didn't really help at first, but bit by bit the pain inside her became less and less.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you."

"Do you want me to stop?"

"No! Keep going please... It feels good."

"Alright."

After awhile people began to sing down by the river, very near, and Elladan hummed quietly along with them. The vibration of his chest combined with the soothing sensation of his fingers on her tummy was lulling her back to sleep; it became harder and harder to keep her eyes open.

When she awoke for the last time he was carrying her up towards the house. They were up on the hill, near the gardens, and the big fireworks were just starting; they did not seem as scary from up here.

"Can we watch?" It was just a whisper.

"I thought you were frightened of the big ones."

"Yes but not from here."

So he carefully set her down in the soft grass and stretched himself out close beside her. The fireworks were still loud, but she held onto Elladan if she was scared. And they were really very pretty. Like showers and showers of glitter, in all sorts of colors and shapes. Arwen wondered if it was really glitter and if the grownups would be covered in it when they came back.

"You were the best dance partner ever, my little Arwen," whispered Elladan in her ear.

"That was the most fun party I have ever been to," she whispered back. Snuggling even closer to him, she kissed him on the cheek. "That one is for asking me to dance, and that one is for teaching me how, and that one is for giving me cake, and that one is for making me feel better. And these are because I love you and want to kiss you." Arwen proceeded to cover his face with kisses from her little mouth.

After she subsided, Elladan was looking at her with that look that Papa had sometimes, the one that made her chest feel warm and gave her a sense of peace and complete happiness. "This," he pressed his lips against her forehead, "is for allowing me to dance with you, and this is for being such a good and loyal partner, and this is for telling me when you ate too much, and these are for being my beautiful and sweet little sister, so sweet I want to eat you up! " He held her tightly, kissing her over and over again.

She knew she was safe in his arms and she loved him very much.

A quarter of an hour later, Elladan glanced over at her again. His little sister was sound asleep once more. He lifted her carefully and carried her up to bed; taking off her pretty dress so his mother would not be upset at the wrinkles, he tucked her under the covers. She did not stir.

He smiled and headed back down to the merrymaking to join the rest of his family.


End file.
